Khelein… to be dubbed in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se, Ashutosh Gowariker’s film about the Chittagong Uprising, a valiant but little known chapter of India’s struggle for independence, is all set to be dubbed in Tamil, Telugu and Bengali.

The film starring Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, releases in Hindi on December 3.

"We are looking at Tamil and Telugu dubs and we would like to do the same in Bengali. We are exploring all options," Gowariker, helmer of the Oscar nominated film Lagaan, told reporters in a global tele-conference.

"Little to almost nothing is known about the Chittagong uprising. It is a true story and yet we know so little about it, hence my desire to bring it onto the big screen," said the director.

In the entire film-making process, bringing the history alive was the most difficult challenge, said the filmmaker.

"It was difficult getting the vintage cars, guns and costumes of the era. This is a chapter of history the nation does not know much about," he said.

The film narrates the story of a revolution against the British Empire in Chittagong where 55 teenagers influenced by the freedom fighter Surjya Sen risk their lives to fight for freedom. Abhishek, who plays the role of freedom fighter Surjya Sen said that he felt "patriotic" while filming.

"The story of Surjya Sen needs to be told to the people. Surjya Da and the kids are not mentioned in great detail in Indian History. I feel it needs to be told to the common man in the same breath as Chandrashekar Azad and Bhagat Singh," said Abhishek.

Explaing the title of the movie, the director said, "In the film young revolutionaries play with their very lives, hence the reason behind the title."

The film is based on journalist Manini Chatterjee’s book Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising and was shot in Sawantawadi in Maharshtra as the original places mentioned in the book did not exist anymore.(PTI)